Gemotions

The old oak tree in the front yard, the one he had climbed as a child, was now just a pile of splintered wood. David stood a distance away, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. He felt numb. He could see the yellow excavator clawing at the walls of the house, tearing it apart piece by piece.

He'd spent his whole life building walls of his own, he thought, walls to keep himself safe. Now, watching this building being torn down, he felt that even those walls were crumbling. He clenched his fists, feeling the ache in his jaw. It felt like a piece of him was being dismantled along with the house.